Prayer and Liturgy
According to St Teresa of Avila, “Prayer in my opinion is nothing else than an intimate sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with Him who we know loves us.”
Spending that time with God is a crucial element of our day-to-day faith life, enabling us to nurture our relationship with the Lord and to receive the strength and grace we need to live out all that He asks of us.
Prayer can take many forms:
- Vocal – Conversation (talking to God as you would a close friend, traditional prayers such as the Our Father or Hail Mary, or prayers of thanksgiving or intercession;
- Meditation – reflecting on scripture, sacred art or icons, sacred music, reflecting on your day or recent experiences, or imaginative prayer (such as putting yourself at the heart of a Gospel story);
- Contemplative Prayer – a loving, silent attentiveness at the deeper level to God.
Of course, prayer is not just something that can be accomplished alone. Jesus Himself said: “where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there” (Matthew 18:20), reminding us of the power of people coming together in prayer, whether in a group or ecclesial setting, such as Mass or during the Sacraments.
